EQ on usb condenser Microphone

Special Interest Groups Recording Techniques
1

I’ve just got a usb condenser microphone, and would like to beef up the top range a little, to make it sound a little “crisper”
Can this be done in Audacity, as a one-time thing? I know I can do it in “Equaliser” after the vocal has been selected, but I don’t want to do this each time I record a new track, as there’s a danger of differences.

2

You can save a “custom” equalization curve (your settings), and reload it in the future to apply exactly the same EQ again,
(could give the custom curve the name of the condenser microphone).
see bottom of this page in this link on how to save curves … http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/Equalization

custom equalisation curve in audacity.png
custom equalisation curve in audacity.png827×480 14 KB

3

Thanks for that - very helpful. Can the same be done with compression?

4

I don’t think audacity’s native compressor, or the much recommeded Chris’s Compressor “remember” your settings, they have fixed default setings. [ a screen grab is one way of recording your settings ]

Some addon VST effects (reverb, chorus, etc, etc) when used with Audacity will store your settings and can reload them later.

5

Thanks Trebor, I am sure I can find more questions to ask you! I am a novice, but am learning fast. Main use is for radio production at home, so I don’t need to go to the studio
just to record one item, and it seems to be working well. Thanks for your really fast replies

Mick- Radio Nene Valley, Northampton

6

One more question…I am compiling a radio programme with music,voice inserts,jingles etc. Is there anything in Audacity that will let me select the complete project, then apply one of the effects that will make sure all the levels are the same? I am not sure what “Compression” or “Normalise” will do, so maybe you can advise me. I suppose I could just look at the waveforms on each track and adjust,but wondered if there is an easier way. Thanks…Mick

7

I’d use a little dynamic range compression* followed by a limiter to ensure consistent volume which did not exceed a threshold. Limiters stop the volume ever going above a threshold, free limiter plugins are available for Audacity …
e.g. steve’s limiter … Limiter [my choice]
and Missing features - Audacity Support

[* “Chris’s compressor” plugin for Audacity is superior to Audacity’s native compressor].